Since its establishment in 2018, the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) has supported more than 2,500 businesses throughout The Bahamas, helping entrepreneurs transform their ideas into successful ventures.
Adding to that growing number, Grand Bahama welcomed another local business on June 12 as Sawyers Catering on the Go officially opened its doors at the Freeport Food Truck Park on Pioneers Way and Adventurers Way.
Outreach Co-ordinator for the Small Business Development Centre, Jeffrey Pinder, said he is encouraged to see more Bahamians taking advantage of the resources available through the SBDC and pursuing entrepreneurship.
“We want people to realise beyond funding for grants and business loans the SBDC is an organisation that gives you support pre-funding and post-funding whether you got a loan or a grant. In this case this would be post-funding.”
Pinder noted that the SBDC serves entrepreneurs on more than 16 islands across The Bahamas and supports businesses in over 44 industries. While accessing funding requires commitment, he said the Centre is committed to guiding entrepreneurs through every step of the process.
“We want the community of Grand Bahama to be encouraged that if they have a simple idea that they’re interested in executing, come and have a conversation with the SBDC. All you need is an idea and the willingness to go through the process and we’re committed to helping you turn that into a successful venture.”
Pinder explained that businesses seeking grant funding must first establish and register their business with the SBDC before becoming eligible to apply. Grant programmes are offered several times throughout the year through partnerships with the government and other funding agencies. However, he emphasised that grant funding is highly competitive and is not guaranteed.
“Persons who apply for a grant would learn about our grant programmes once they’ve been through the first process. They might not be successful the first time or even the second time because eligibility is often based on industry. If you’re not in that particular industry when a grant programme is released you’ll have to wait until that opportunity comes around. The key thing is to be registered and my goal is to get as many Grand Bahamian businesses registered.”
In addition to grant opportunities, the SBDC provides year-round business development services, including assistance with business plan preparation, accounting support and other resources designed to help entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses. Support is available across a wide range of sectors including fisheries, the blue economy, agriculture, the creative industries and the orange economy.
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